


morning in the month of wind

by thisisthefamilybusiness



Category: Dishonored (Video Games)
Genre: Family Bonding, Family Fluff, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fluff, Gen, Parent-Child Relationship, Pre-Dishonored 2 (Video Game), Sneaking Out, just a nice happy ficlet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2017-10-23
Packaged: 2019-01-21 21:25:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12466232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thisisthefamilybusiness/pseuds/thisisthefamilybusiness
Summary: Her worries are unheeded: the delivery carriage rolls merrily down the path, clacking on the cobblestones, without its driver even noticing her. She shifts her weight to the balls of her feet and eyes the fence across the street. She wouldn’t need a running start, would she?“Enjoying yourself, Your Majesty?”Emily nearly tumbles off the ledge, startled, but it’s just Corvo, perched behind her, his unblinking skull mask glinting in the morning sunlight.





	morning in the month of wind

It’s barely dawn when Emily wakes, soft yellow light filtering in through the leaded glass windows. As a child, visits to Ruane Castle had meant more freedom than usual, allowed to run around the rocky eastern Gristolian landscape with only Corvo looking after her, her usual caretaking staff sent home to celebrate the Fugue Feast with their own families.

As an empress, visits to Ruane Castle meant only a brief reprieve after a tense week of meetings with High King of Morley, always trying to prevent another war.

Emily sighs and rolls out of her bed, yawning as she eyes the clock on the stone mantelpiece. The servants would just now be starting their early-morning chores, scurrying around the old castle to tend to the dying fires in all the fireplaces and checking over the deliveries for the day’s supplies, putting the bread for the day in the ovens and drawing the shutters.

In other words, nobody would dare disturb the Empress in her chambers for at least four more hours.

She grins. A morning walk would be nice.

* * *

The Month of Wind has always been one of Emily’s favorites. The vibrant orange and yellow leaves of the Months of Rain and Nets have faded and fallen, and now litter the cobblestone path outside Ruane Castle, damp and fragrant with the almost-sweet scent of their rot.

Emily exhales and crouches along the old stone fence that lines the path, like she could will herself to blend into the skeletal trees behind her. The black woolen coat might be effective camouflage for the Dunwall rooftops and balconies, but in the golden light of the wooded Ruane grounds, she cuts a stark contrast.

Her worries are unheeded: the delivery carriage rolls merrily down the path, clacking on the cobblestones, without its driver even noticing her. She shifts her weight to the balls of her feet and eyes the fence across the street. She wouldn’t need a running start, would she?

“Enjoying yourself, Your Majesty?”

Emily nearly tumbles off the ledge, startled, but it’s just Corvo, perched behind her, his unblinking skull mask glinting in the morning sunlight.

“Do you take that thing everywhere with you?” she grumbles, dropping to sit on the stone wall with a heavy sigh. She tugs her scarf down from over her face.  

“Of course.” Corvo takes a seat beside her. “It’s my job to be prepared for anything.”

They sit in silence for a few moments, watching the breeze rustle the leaves on the path, content.

“You know, when most noblewomen want to take a morning walk, they wander around the castle gardens,” Corvo says. His voice is muffled by the mask, but he makes no move to take it off.

“After you learn how to strangle a man a head taller than you without getting caught, the excitement capacity of a garden loses its luster.”

“Ah, it’s my fault, then?” Corvo laughs.

“Of course it is.” Emily leans over, resting her head on Corvo’s shoulder. “I’m the Empress. I can do no wrong, can’t I?”

“As you say, Your Majesty.”

**Author's Note:**

> Another part of the prompt challenge I've created for myself on tumblr to encourage me to write more. Today's prompt was [this painting by John Atkinson](http://officialclaricestarling.tumblr.com/post/166637618008/laclefdescoeurs-october-gold-1889-john-atkinson).
> 
> talk to me [on tumblr](http://officialclaricestarling.tumblr.com) | [deleted]


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